ETH Zurich students tackle water challenges in agriculture at FAO course in Rome
The role of water for food and nutrition security was the central theme of a three-day course held at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome. Organized by the World Food System Center, as part of a lecture on food security, the course brought together agricultural and environmental science students from ETH Zurich for an interactive learning experience.
This annual course is part of the World Food System Center's efforts to provide students with insights and exposure to global agricultural and food and nutrition security challenges and the organizations working to address them.
This year’s program, led by Dominique Barjolle from the Department of Environmental Systems Science (D-USYS), ETH Zürich, and Dr. Martijn Sonnevelt from the World Food System Center, focused on water. Students engaged in a variety of activities, including a game simulating water use conflicts, alongside presentations and discussions.
The course offered a platform to discuss with experts the state of food and nutrition security and the importance of water in sustainable agricultural and food systems. Students gained insights into the organization, structure, and core functions of key international bodies like FAO and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). They explored concrete examples of water monitoring and management, delved into water governance structures, and examined the linkages between water, food and nutrition security, and overall food system transformation.
During the workshop, the students had the opportunity to exchange with the experts from the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the Rome based UN organizations about the role of Switzerland in multilateral engagement for food and nutrition security.
Based on the lessons learned during the workshop, the students will review FAO research on 10 different countries to analyze the integration of water as a key driver to food systems transformation and complement it with their own research on policies, strategies and projects related to water, agriculture and climate change.
Read more about other World Food System Center courses here.
